Incredible facts
Probably, most people who have graduated from school a long time ago will not be able to immediately answer the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica - where are they located and how do they differ?
Many doubt it mainly because of the similarity of names and almost identical climatic conditions.
We can only say with certainty that there is a lot of snow, ice and icebergs in both places.
How are the Arctic, Antarctic and Antarctica similar to each other?
To better understand how they are similar and how they differ, it’s worth starting with what these places have in common.
Name
To be more precise, this is not a similarity, but rather a contrast.
The word "Arctic" is of Greek origin. "Arktos" means "bear". This is connected with the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which people use to navigate in search of the North Star, that is, the main northern landmark.
The word "Antarctica" was invented quite recently, or rather in the twentieth century. The history of its origin is not so interesting. The fact is that “Antarctica” is a combination of two words “anti” and “Arctic”, that is, the part opposite to the Arctic, or bear.
Climate
Perpetual snow and icebergs are the result of harsh climate conditions. This is the second similarity between the above territories.
However, it is worth noting that the similarity is not entirely complete, since the Arctic climate is still milder due to warm currents that extend quite far along the northern coast of the Eurasian continent. Here the minimum temperature exceeds the minimum temperature of Antarctica.
What is the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica?
Arctic
The northern polar region of our planet, which is adjacent to the North Pole.
The Arctic includes the outskirts of two continents - North America and Eurasia.
The Arctic includes almost the entire Arctic Ocean and many islands in it (except for the coastal islands of Norway).
The Arctic includes adjacent parts of two oceans - the Pacific and the Atlantic.
The average temperature in the Arctic is -34 C.
Arctic (photo)
Antarctic
This is the south polar region of our planet. As already mentioned, its name can be translated as “opposite to the Arctic.”
Antarctica includes the mainland of Antarctica and the adjacent parts of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian, along with the islands.
Antarctica is the harshest climatic zone on Earth. Both the mainland and nearby islands are covered with ice.
The average temperature in Antarctica is -49 C.
Antarctica on the map
Antarctica (photo)
Antarctica
The continent that is located in the southernmost part of the globe.
Antarctica on the map
Simply put:
Antarctica and Antarctica
1. Antarctica is the mainland. The area of this continent is 14.1 million square meters. km., which puts it in 5th place in area among all continents. It has surpassed only Australia in this parameter. Antarctica is a deserted continent discovered by the Lazarev-Bellingshausen expedition in 1820.
2. Antarctica is a territory that includes both the continent of Antarctica itself, and all the islands adjacent to this continent and the waters of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian. According to foreign scientists who call the Antarctic waters the Southern Ocean, the area of Antarctica is about 86 million square meters. km.
3. Relief Antarctica is much more diverse than the topography of the continent that is part of it.
Geographical position
Antarctica (together with Subantarctic) is the south polar region globe, bounded to the north by the Antarctic convergence. Includes Antarctica and its adjacent islands and parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The southern sections of these oceans within Antarctica are often separated into a separate Southern Ocean.
The name Antarctica comes from Greek words and means the region opposite the Arctic, from ancient Greek. ?ντ? (anti) - against and (arktikos) - northern (?ρκτος (arctos) - bear, according to the constellation Ursa Major).
The Antarctic border runs along the Antarctic convergence line within 48-60° S latitude.
total area Antarctica is about 52 million km². Sometimes some islands located as far north as 37° S are classified as Antarctica, which is more a political decision than a correspondence climatic conditions(eg Gough Island and Amsterdam). Another option is to limit the territory to the Antarctic Treaty zone (south of 60° S). The northern part between the Antarctic convergence and the Antarctic divergence is distinguished as the subantarctic belt (subantarctic).
How to get there
You can get to the mainland either together with a scientific expedition heading there, or by plane delivering supplies for scientific stations. These are some of the most accessible routes to the mainland.
Visa
Formally, a visa is not required. But when traveling by ship, when entering a port belonging to any country, you may be asked to present the right to enter. Therefore, it is worth clarifying this in advance and taking care of all the formalities.
Climate
Antarctica is the most severe climatic region on Earth with low air temperatures, strong winds, snow storms and fog. The mainland and nearby islands are covered with glaciation. The highest recorded temperature is 26.3°C (King Edward Point, South Georgia), the lowest is −91.2 °C (Japanese Fuji Dome station, Queen Maud Land, December 2013). The average temperature in summer is −30 °C, in winter — −60 °C.
Population
There is no indigenous population; there are research stations that operate seasonally.
Nature
A unique calling card of Antarctica - the penguin. Several species of these funny birds live here: on the continental coast - emperor, king, gentoo, and Adelie penguins. And on the Antarctic and subantarctic islands live the crested, arctic, and golden-haired penguins.
There are other birds: petrels (Antarctic, snowy, silver-gray), skuas,
Antarctic- habitat of several species of seals: Weddell seal, Ross seal, crabeater seal, southern elephant seal, leopard seal, Kerguelen fur seal.
Whales live here: blue whale, flathead bottlenose, sperm whale, killer whales, sei whale, southern minke whale.
It's hard to imagine, but even here, on the icy continent, there is vegetation. Lichens, cereals and clove herbs, whose height does not exceed 1 cm, and some types of moss, hide in the crevices of rocks.
Antarctica is considered the coldest continent on our planet. Antarctica is also called the part of the world that includes the mainland itself and the adjacent islands. In this article we will consider Antarctica as a continent. This continent was discovered by a Russian expedition in January 1820. The continent is located in the very south of the planet. Translated from Greek, Antarctica means “opposite the Arctic” or “opposite the north.” Approximately the center of the continent is located at the location of the Earth's south pole. The continent is washed by the southern part of the waters of three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean; since 2000, this area of water has become known as the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is characterized by strong winds and storms.
The area of this continent is approximately 14.107 million km2. In terms of its average height (2040 m), Antarctica ranks first among the continents. The only thing that should be taken into account is that this height is achieved thanks to glaciers, while the land of this continent is located much lower than this figure. Therefore, the first place in terms of land height is given to the Eurasian continent. And in the central part, the ice cover can reach more than 4,000 meters in height. If we compare the amount of ice on Antarctica with the ice reserves on the entire planet, then Antarctica contains 90% of all the planet's ice reserves. Also, 80% of the total fresh water on the planet is stored in these Ice. If all the continent's glaciers melt, this will lead to an increase in water levels in all oceans by 60 meters, and Antarctica itself will become an archipelago (a collection of islands).
Relief of Antarctica
The structure of the continent of Antarctica resembles a dome. Along the coast, the height of the mainland reaches about 2000 m above sea level, and in the central part it can reach more than 4000 m above sea level. Therefore, it turns out to be a kind of dome.
Most of the continent is covered with permanent glacial cover and only 0.3% of its territory rises above the ice, which is approximately 40,000 m2. These areas include islands, coastal areas and mountain peaks. On the territory of the continent there are the Transantarctic Mountains, which almost completely cross the entire continent and, thus, divide it into two different parts, which are called the eastern and western parts.
In the east of Antarctica there is a plateau that is covered with glaciers and the level of glaciers here reaches the highest heights - more than 4000 meters above sea level. The western part of the mainland consists mostly of mountainous islands. In Antarctica, the highest point above sea level is the Vinson Massif (4892 m), and the lowest point below sea level is the Bentley Deep (2555 m below sea level), which is covered with ice.
Vinson Massif
Thanks to the research, scientists were able to find out that Antarctica is 1/3 submerged under water, where mountain ranges and massifs can be distinguished.
While studying the subglacial cover of the continent, scientists were able to discover a huge crater with a diameter of 482 km. It is believed that the asteroid that left this crater was 48 km in diameter and that it fell to Earth about 250 million years ago, that is, it became the culprit of the permafrost and the cause of the death of most of the flora and fauna of that period. Today it is the largest crater on planet Earth.
Climate of Antarctica
The continent of Antarctica is characterized by a harsh cold climate. It was here that the lowest temperature in history was recorded - 89.2 degrees below zero in 1983. Weather conditions in the center of the continent and on its outskirts are very different. If in the center of the continent of Antarctica there can be no wind and the Sun shines brightly in the blue sky, then the coast of the continent can be covered with storms. The wind here can rise to 90 m/s, sweeping away everything in its path. Waves can reach 20 meters in height.
The weather on the continent also changes as the seasons change. The winter months here are June, July and August. During these months, temperatures can drop from -60 to -75 degrees Celsius below zero in the central part and from -8 to -35 degrees Celsius below zero on the mainland coast. The summer months here are December, January and February. During these months, the continent becomes slightly warmer, with temperatures rising from -30 to -50 degrees below zero in the central part and from -5 to 0 degrees Celsius on the coast. Based on the temperatures, it almost never rains here - it only snows.
One more characteristic feature The weather conditions in Antarctica are strong and continuous winds that can reach up to 90 meters per second. This is due to the dome-shaped structure of the continent. From April to November, winds blow in Antarctica almost all day long without stopping. From November to March, winds can blow at night, and during the day, due to the heating of the upper layer, the winds can subside.
Flora and fauna of Antarctica
Given the peculiarly harsh cold climate of the continent, the diversity of animals and plants leaves much to be desired.
Plants in Antarctica include ferns, algae (in oases), mushrooms, lichens, and flowering plants. Among the animals on the coast of the continent you can find seals and penguins. More animals can be found in the coastal area. Underground animals include arachnids and insects. Seals, fur seals, birds, and penguins also live here. There are no completely land animals on the territory of Antarctica. The main decoration of the coasts of Antarctica are penguins.
There are no formed states in Antarctica, and it belongs to no one. But 16 countries have built their bases here and are studying this continent.
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Antarctica is the southernmost point of the globe. This continent is washed by the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. His geographical coordinates located between latitude 630 south and longitude 570 west. There is also a cape called Sifra. On the northern side, the continent intersects the Arctic Circle several times. The closest state located near Antarctica is
In contact with
What is the mainland famous for?
It is the highest continent on earth, with an average altitude of 2000 meters. Its high height is due to a thick layer of ice. Everyone knows Antarctica as the coldest continent on the planet.
In winter, the air temperature drops to -90 degrees, and in summer the figure does not exceed -20 degrees. There is no rain here, since precipitation is represented exclusively by snow. A large area of the continent is an icy desert. Some elements of life are found only close to the coast.
The only representatives of the flora here are lichens, mosses and algae. Speaking of fauna, it is worth noting that seals, penguins and whales can be found here.
Despite the fact that the object is not subject to any state in the world, there are many research stations located on it.
Attractiveness for tourists
Every year the continent welcomes about tens of thousands of tourists, and this flow increases every year. Herself , Interesting Facts and sights are what attract curious people. Everyone strives to visit the deserted and mysterious continent in order to:
Travel organizers offer their clients:
- Diving to explore the underwater world and observe unusual white-blooded fish.
- Kayaking exploring icebergs and glaciers by boat from the sea.
- Mountaineering - in the form of climbing the Antarctic peaks.
- Camping and skiing, photo tours.
Despite the harsh climate conditions, there are interesting places in Antarctica that attract the attention of tourists.
Sights and interesting facts about them
Temples
Whalers Church
Famous place in Antarctica. The building was built in neo-Gothic style in 1913 near the whaling station. The church was functional, however, it was restored in 1998. Since then, it has practically ceased to be used, but was preserved as a monument for posterity.
Holy Trinity Church
Unusual structure of the Southern Continent. The church was erected in 2003-2004 on Waterloo Island near the Bellingshausen polar station. The architects came up with an unusual fastening method. Six chains were stretched in the temple to securely fix it, and this fact has been proven. During heavy winds, the Chilean station was left without a roof, but this church in Antarctica survived. The people who worked at the station came out at night to see if the temple stood. It was not demolished because the chains were embedded in the foundation and stretched through the entire temple.
Catholic Church
This temple is located in a cave made of ice at an Arctic research base called Belgrano. Among all world religions, this temple is the “coldest”.
Nature
Lemaire Strait
This is one of the most attractive places in Antarctica. For a long time, cruise ships have dropped off tourists for a picnic near the two peaks of Unas Tits. The support towers rise high above the sea, and the tops of the slopes are covered with snow.
The strait was opened in 1873. The German traveler Eduard Dalman put it on the map. A few years later, in 1898, Adrien de Guerpache swam through the strait. He gave it the name in honor of his Belgian colleague Charles Lemaire.
The strait attracts with its charm, and tourists who have taken millions of photos here never tire of admiring its beauty. All travelers try to return here more than once to capture these moments again.
Deception Island
In Antarctica, the islands are a unique attraction. In the distant past, Deception Island was an Antarctic volcano. It is possible that eruptions will still occur, but the last ones were in 1967 - 1970.
The island is home to about eight types of birds, including chinstrap penguins. There is also vegetation here that has not been seen before in the Arctic regions. Hunters have always been interested in the island part of the continent. People set foot on this land around 1820, and then stations for scientific and observational work were built here. Most of them were later destroyed by volcanic lava.
The shape of the island is similar to a horseshoe. This is a unique oceanic site where ships are allowed to sail to study nature and volcanoes.
Queen Maud's Land
The area on the Atlantic coast was named after a Norwegian queen named Maud. At first, Germany filed claims to its ownership, however, since 1939, a “Norwegian sector” was formed here, and it was managed by the Minister of Trade of Oslo.
Today, the territory is used for the purposes of science and research, and therefore there are several research stations on it. Queen Maud Land is popular among expedition groups.
Bloody Falls
An extraordinary place in Antarctica, which is a blood-red water stream that falls out of a glacier. Water flows out of a lake covered with four hundred meters of ice. Thanks to the high salt concentration, the lake does not freeze even at -10 degrees.
This source was found by geologist Taylor, and the glacier was later named in his honor. Initially, the descriptions explained that the unusual color of the water appeared due to a large amount of rust. In addition, scientists have proven the presence of microorganisms that take part in the formation of iron oxides in water.
Desert among the ice
The dry land of Antarctica is hidden surrounded by frozen water. The dry McMurdo Valley has not seen rainfall for many years. The ground cover here is freed from the shell of ice. The valley is covered with sand frozen to the state of stone.
The speed of the raging wind here reaches 320 km/h. The climate conditions in the valleys are close to those on Mars, and therefore they are often used by astronauts for pre-flight preparation. Unknown species of bacteria were found in one of the local lakes.
Dry Valleys are included in the first three positions on the list of attractions in Antarctica. Any diving guide describes these places as they are considered a treasure trove for those who love to explore the underwater world.
Sunken yacht
The sea transport, called the Endless Sea, was wrecked in 2012 in Ardley Bay. Not far from there is the Russian Bellingshausen station. The yacht was involved in the filming of a documentary about the natural delights of Antarctica, however, it got stuck in the ice.
The crew was evacuated immediately, and therefore there were no casualties. This yacht was used for educational and scientific expeditions.
At the beginning of 2013, the transport was raised from the bottom of the bay, and now the yacht is being repaired and preparing for new expeditions.
Emperor penguin colony
This species of animal is considered the largest in the penguin family. Many penguins are found in the southern part of the continent.
The emperor penguin was first discovered by Bellingshausen in 1822. The work of Robert Scott was of considerable importance in the study of the species. His team went to Cape Evans in 1913 and found penguin eggs there. This had a beneficial effect on the study of animal embryonic development.
The most isolated and perhaps the harshest continent on the planet is Antarctica. Discovered by a Russian expedition in January 1820, this cold area attracts intrepid tourists and travelers with its brutal, pristine beauty. The entire territory of Antarctica is divided into Lands, named after their explorers, discoverers or quite famous personalities(Queen Elizabeth Land, Wilkes, Palmer, etc.) The main part of the continent is permanently covered with glaciers, and only 40,000 square meters. km are free from ice cover.
The sights of Antarctica are not very diverse, however, this fact does not detract from the attractiveness of this region. Every year it is visited by those who are ready to experience all the surprises and delights of the capricious Antarctic weather. The majority of tourist groups prefer popular tours in the form of flights over the territory of Antarctica, because a truly amazing view opens up from above.
Glaciers of Antarctica.
A popular destination in Antarctica is Paradise Harbour. Watching the huge blocks of centuries-old glaciers and icebergs from the boards of inflatable boats is a spectacular sight.
Islands of Antarctica.
There is a place in Antarctica that is of particular interest to volcanologists, hunters and travelers - Deception Island. It is an extinct volcano and has the shape of a horseshoe.
Bloody waterfall.
An unusual attraction for icy Antarctica is the Bloody Falls. Streams of red water with a high concentration of salts and iron oxide flow down the surface of the glacier, originating in one of the Antarctic lakes.
Whalers' Church.
Another famous place in Antarctica is the Whalers Church, built in the neo-Gothic style back in 1913 next to the whaling station. Despite its full functionality, after restoration in 1998, today it is practically not used, but has been preserved for posterity as a monument.
Mountains of Antarctica.
The Queen Maud group of mountain ranges rises 3 thousand meters above sea level. The system was discovered by the expedition of R. Amundsen, receiving the name in honor of the Norwegian Queen.
Drake Passage.
Drake Passage was named after the pirate sailor who sailed in this place in mid-1578. It is the deepest and widest strait in the world.
Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church, located in an ice cave, is located at the Belgrano Arctic research base. This is the “coldest” temple among all religions known on earth.
Penguins in Antarctica.
And, of course, the most important and beautiful attraction of Antarctica is the king penguins, without which it is impossible to imagine this region.
Despite the harshness of the continent of Antarctica, its attractions do not end there. Below you can see other interesting places that are located in this cold region:
